Eco-minded

Over consumption is something we are most likely all guilty of. However, we can easily contribute and help preserving the planet we live on by changing simple, and sometimes little things in our daily lives. In Valencia you can easily be eco-minded too! As it can be tricky to find the right spots in a city you’re not familiar with, we’ve already located them for you.

Eco products from Valencia

As you might want to taste what Valencia has to offer during your stay, we have listed a few products of which the ingredients are organically grown.

Horchata de chufa

Horchata de chufa or as it is spelled in Valencia, Orxata de Chufa, is one of Valencia’s gastronomic treasures. The tiger nut milk is refreshing and nutritious and loved by many Valencians. The drink is made with water, tiger nuts and sugar and traditionally accompanied by ‘fartons’, a kind of bread similar to a sponge finger.

Tarongino

Tarongino is an eco-wine made from Valencian oranges. The wine has a refreshing citrus flavor and its color is a beautiful light lemon yellow. Perfect for a picnic in the Turia Park on a hot summer day, but also to take home as a souvenir.

Antara

Antara is a new and original organic tiger nut (chufa) beer, launched on the local market in Valencia in 2012. ‘Bierwinkel’, a small shop in the middle of the central market (Mercado Central), sells mostly Belgian, English, German, and other international bottles of beer. Most importantly it sells some local Spanish beers, including the Antara beer.

Cava Brut Ecológico

This type of Cava (50% Chardonnay and 50% Macabeo) is made from organic grapes and processed in a way that respects the environment. It goes really well with meat, seafood, rice and pasta dishes.

Restaurants

Living ecologically doesn’t necessarily mean you should give up meat. However, eating less meat means less land has to be put into agricultural production. Therefore we have selected a few restaurants that offer quite a few vegetarian and vegan options. In addition, the restaurants that we have listed here rely on organic products and ingredients to prepare their dishes with.

La Tastaolletes

La Tastaolletes is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant located in the city centre of Valencia. Their menu, which is also available in English, consists of about 25 dishes ranging from traditional tapas to international dishes. Don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s simple and minimal decoration, the dishes are creative and of excellent quality! Open for lunch from Tuesday till Sunday 14.00-16.00 and for dinner from Tuesday till Saturday 21.00-24.00.

Espai Visor café and gallery

Espai Visor is a vegetarian restaurant and an art gallery at the same time, and therefore stands out. The art gallery is dedicated to video and photography and also the dishes on the menu are enticingly illustrated by the owner Pep Benlloch, who is a professional photographer. On the shelves of the restaurant there are books and magazines you can flip through. Open from Monday till Friday from 11.00-14.00 and 16.00-20.00.

Copenhagen

Located in the heart of Ruzafa is another great vegetarian restaurant, Copenhagen. The restaurant is named after the Danish city as its mission is to resemble the Scandinavian lifestyle and its quality of life. Copenhagen’s cuisine can be described as fun, modern and creative. Its dishes are traditional (from different countries), combined with modern day flavours. Open daily from 13.30-16.00 and 20.30-23.30.

BeGreen

BeGreen is a great option for lunch. Choose between a wrap and a salad and customize it to your liking! The toppings you can choose from are all fresh, healthy and natural products. BeGreen also offers menus that change on a daily basis. Soup, salad (or a wrap or pasta dish), desert and a drink for only €9,70. The packaging is 100% biodegradable, made from natural compounds. BeGreen even does deliveries, but eating at one of the tables made out of pallets is much nicer ofcourse! They also serve eco coffee and tea. Open from Monday till Saturday from 10.00-16.30.

Coffee shops & bakeries

While most of the restaurants mentioned above are open for both lunch and dinner, you might want to sit down somewhere, have a rest from all the sightseeing or have something to eat or drink. We picked out a few nice coffee shops and bakeries for your convenience!

Jardin Urbano

A cafe, shop, language school and workshop location all in one. Jardin Urbano is good to sit down for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. All products that are served and sold here are natural. In the shop you can buy products such as tea, groundnuts, jams, oils, honey and soaps. The workshops that are offered will show you how to make your own urban kitchen garden.

Location
Calle Pedro III el Grande, 26

Casa de l’Orxata

Casa de l’Orxata is one of many places in Valencia where you can drink a horchata, but unique because of its bio (and lactose and/or glutenfree) ice cream. It also serves other bio, eco and organic foods and drinks. If you order something ‘para llevar’ (take away), it will be put in a container, cup or bag that is made of potato starch. Regular customers get €1 discount when reusing Casa de l’Orxata’s liter containers. Open from Monday till Saturday 7.45-22.30 and on Sunday 8.15-22.30.

Pan Creativo Artesano

Pan Creativo Artesano is a small bakery located in El Carmen, that takes on the challenge of blending innovation with artisanal tradition. Some examples are the roasted pumpkin bread, bread with hazelnut and honey, and bread with pineapple and mango. Creative and 100% eco! They also sell pastries. Open from Monday till Friday 9.00-15.00 and 18.00-20.30. On Saturday from 9.00-14.00.

Shops & supermarkets

If you wish to cook your own meals while you’re in Valencia, it might help to know where you can get the best fresh and organic products.

Punt de Sabor

Punt de Sabor has been awarded best organic shop of Spain in 2014. It is founded by the La Unió, an organization that defends the social, professional, economic and cultural interests of farmers, and protects the rural areas of Valencia. The organization cultivates a farm of 50 acres (about 37.8 football fields) in the Marjal els Moros (Sagunto-Spain), where they produce all kinds of (organic) vegetables and fruits that are sold in the shop. You can read more about the farm and its farmers on the website of Punt de Sabor. Open from Monday till Saturday 10.00-15.00 and 17.00-21.00.

Herbolario Navarro

Herbolario Navarro opened its first shop in the field of herbology and natural products in 1771. With multiple shops in Valencia, (and in Mallorca, Castellón and Madrid) it has become one of the most well known shops selling all kinds of natural organic food products. Herbolario Navarro has won many awards; ‘best eco-friendly shop’ and ‘innovative company of the year’ among others. The shop also sells household and cosmetic products that are eco-friendly. Open from Monday till Saturday 9.30-20.00.

Ecorganic

The supermarket Ecorgánic sells fresh and organic products (fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, meats, etc.). If you’re on a specific diet this is the place to go to! The supermarket sells a range of products and foods for macrobiotic, gluten-free, lactose-free and diabetic diets. Valencia counts three Ecorgánic supermarkets, located in different parts of the city. Open from Monday till Saturday 9.00-21.15.

Eco shopping

Conscious consumers contribute to a more sustainable world, so even your shopping habits can make a difference!

Naturalmente

Naturalmente is a charming little shop located in the El Carmen district of Valencia that sells clothing, home and fashion accessories made from organic, eco-sustainable and recycled materials of brands such as El Naturalista, Skunkfunk, Ethos Paris, Vaho Works, Grimal2, Marron Rouge and La Mediterránea. Open from Monday till Friday 10.00-14.00 and 16.00-20.00. On Saturday from 10.30-14.30.

Location
Plaza Doctor Collado, 6. Valencia

Óptica Ferrer – Wood Friends

Wood Friends is a brand that consists of handmade sunglasses of which the frames are made of recycled beech wood from Finland. Some of the first steps of the delicate production process have to do with the cutting and bending of the wood itself, which is carefully done inside the atelier of a local eyewear shop called Óptica Ferrer. The really fashionable and hip sunglasses are 100% made to personal specifications. Open from Monday till Friday 10.00-13.30 and 17.00-20.30. On Saturday from 10.00-14.00.

Location
Calle de Cuenca, 14

Eco friendly transportation

If you wish to keep your ecological footprint to a minimum while going from one place to another in Valencia, there are a few options. Obviously to walk would be the best way, however some places can be too far of a walk. For example, to walk from the city centre to the beach will take you about an hour.

Bike

Quite a few people use the bike in Valencia to go from one place to another. New bike paths are built and also the Turia park is a great place to ride a bike. It is a great way to discover the city. You can either rent a bike, or make use of the bikesharing system ‘Valenbisi’. A ‘short term ticket’ costs only €13,30 and allows you to use one of the bikes whenever you want for 7 days. If you wish to use the bike for a couple of hours or the entire day, we do however recommend you to rent a bike at one of the bike rental companies, as only the first 30 minutes you use one of the bikes from Valenbisi are for free. If you use the bike between 30-60 minutes, you’ll pay an extra €1,04 (which will be extracted from your credit card). Every additional 60 minutes will cost you €3,12 more.

Taxi

Ecotaxi is an association in Valencia that uses only hybrid vehicles, which reduce the emission of CO2. To order a taxi you can either call this number, 960 300 300, or through the JoinUp application that you can install on your smartphone. Good to know, taxis in Valencia are quite cheap! Click here to read more about taxis in Valencia.

BlaBlaCar
If you would like to see more of the beautiful surroundings of Valencia, then BlaBlaCar is a great platform to get in touch with people who offer rides to different cities. These people are looking for good company to share the costs with. The verified profiles with member ratings create a trustworthy community. This way of travelling saves tons of CO2.